Minority Education in Greece: Voices of Ethnic Greek Majority Teachers Working in Muslim Minority Primary Schools in Western Thrace

Abstract

This study aims to examine the views of ethnic Greek-majority teachers who work in the minority schools of Xanthi in the region of West Thrace in Greece towards their students’ bilingualism, language and social development and their evaluation. The research method which has been chosen is semi-structured interviews of eight teachers (n=8). The results highlight teachers’ views about the importance of students’ first language development and maintenance; however, they also show discrepancies between their beliefs and their reported practices that aim at hindering the use of minority language at class.  In addition, the results indicate how educational personnel is situated with respect to social and political matters. Relevant suggestions are offered for improving the minority education system in Greece.